Electric iron



K. M. RAYMOND ELECTRIC IRON Filed May" 21, 1925 fire/War K M Pay/710mg Patented Feb. 10, 1925,

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PATENT ELECTRIC IRON.

Application filed May 21, 1923. Serial No. 640,561.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KATHLEEN l /IONIMIA\ RAYMOND, a citizen of the Dominion of New Zealand, residing at Indoor, Mt. Eden, city of Auckland, Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Irons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric irons and has for its object the provision of means designed to prevent an iron from being left with the current on, when not being used.

According to the invention the iron is provided with a switch located in the bandle, so that on the latter being gripped by the user of the iron the electric circuit through the latter is closed, and the iron heated. The switch is closed against the action of a spring so that on the handle being released, the switch operates to open and prevent the passage of current to the iron.

One of the wires in the flexible lead used with the iron is broken and has the ends adj acent the break, connected to separated terminals on the handle. A member in the handle adapted to bridge the gap between the'terminals is operated to complete the line, on the operation of a movable member, caused by the operator gripping the handle of the iron during use. The movable member when the handle is gripped. operates to effect the closing of the line, and the heating circuit through the iron, against the action of a spring, and on being'released, operates to bring aboutthe opening of said line and circuit so as to prevent current from passing to the heating element within the iron.

A special feature of the aforesaid means for opening and closing the circuit, is the construction which enables a quick and clean break in the circuit to be effected, and also which enables a quick and clean closing of the circuit to be brought about.

In order to enable this to be done the member which bridges the gap between the separated terminals on the handles, is given sliding movement from the movable member operated by the hand or gripping the handle, through a bell crank lever which engages in a slot in the bridging member. The latter has pivoted thereto short rods which pass one from each side of said bridging member, through slots in the frame of the device. On these rods between the bridging member and the frame compression springs are placed.

In order to complete the circuit through the iron, the bridging member is given movement towards the terminals, such action causing the springs on the short rods to be compressed and the inner ends of the latter to be moved towards said terminals until they are slightly beyond terminals at right angles to the bridging member. l/Vhen this occurs the springs on the short rods expand and suddenly shoot the bridging member into contact with both of the separated terminals and close the circuit through the 1ron.

On the handle of the iron being released the bridging member commences to move in'a direction away from the terminals under the influence of a return spring, causing the springs on the short rods to be again compressed and the latter to be moved slightly beyond positions at right angles to the bridging member, whereupon said springs again assert themselves and cause the opening of the circuit to be completed with a quick action by the sudden withdrawal of the bridging member from engagement with the terminals;

In the accompanying drawing in conjunction with which the invention will be further described,

Figure 1' is an elevation and Figure 2 a plan view of an iron fitted with the improvement, the handle in each View being in section, and the circuit through the iron being open,

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation and I Figure 4 a sectional plan of the handle of the iron, showing the bridging member, completing the gap between the terminals.

The handle 1 of the iron 2 is hollow and preferably of insulating material and is secured to the iron by screws 3 entering plugs 4: and 43* from member 5. The plugs 4, 4 are also of insulating material the latter being a fixture in one end of the handle 1 while the plug 4 is removable therefrom on taking out the screws 6.

In the handle 1 is apartition 7 of insulating material to which is attached a frame 8 also located in the handle 1 and removable therefrom with the partition 7.

The partition 7 carries terminals 13 to which are connected the two portions of a line 9 forming part of the circuit through the iron, and broken to enable a gap in the circuit to be obtained as required. The two portions of the line are passed through the plug 4: which is bored to enable this be done.

The terminals 13 connect with separated contacts 10 on the opposite side of the partition 7, the gap between said contacts being closed when it is desired that current shall pass through the iron, by means of a forked conductor 11 on the end of a rod 12 slidable in cross members 8 of the frame 8.

The rod 12 is slotted as at 12 near its outer end to receive one leg of a bell crank lever 14: pivoted to the frame 8, the other leg of said lever 14: being connected by means o'f-a link 15 with the outer end of a lever 16 of insulating material pivoted at its inner end to the frame 8 and projecting from the handle 1'.

A tension sprin 17 connected at one end to a leg of the bell crank lever 14., and at the other end to an extension from the frame 8 acts to normally keep the forked conductor 11 away from the contacts 10 and the lever 16 projected from the handle 1.

Pivote'd to the sliding rod 12, are a pair of short rods 18which extend from the rod 12 through slots 19 in the side members of the frame 8, said rods '18 having placed thereon between the rod 12' and the side members of the frame 8, compression springs 20.

Assuming the iron to be connected up ready for use, the device operates as follows.

The action of the user of the iron in gripping the handle 1 forces the lever 16 up wards and causes the bell crank lever 14 to move the rod 12 in the direction of the contacts 10.

In their normal positions the short rods 18 have their pivoted or inner ends further from the contacts lO'than their outer ends, so that movement ofthe rod 12 in the direction above mentioned causes the inner ends of the rod 18 to move towards the contacts 10 and the springs 20 to be compressed; On the rods 18 coming to positions slightly beyond at-right angles with the rod 12, the springs 20: immediately expand and shoot the rod 12 forward, or cause the forked conductor 11 to'smartly engage the contacts 10 and-.soclose the circuit through the iron, the slot 12 'in therod 12, allowing the latten to overrunthe bell crank lever '14:.

So long asthe lever 16 is kept up, the circuit is closed and current passes to the iron, but immediately said lever is released the spring 17' pulls the bell crank lever 14. backwards and into contact with the rod 12 at the outer endof'the slot 12 causing the said rod' 12'to commence to move ina direction awayfrom the contacts 10. During the first part of the latter movement the springs 1,525 ass 20 are again compressed until such time as the rods 18 come to positions slightly beyond. at right angles with the rod 12, whereupon said springs expand and complete the return movement of the rod 12 with a quick action thereby ensuring a clean break being effected between the contacts 10 and conductor 11, the slot l2 again allowing the rod 12 to ever runthe bell crank lever 1 1 Stops 21, 22 on the rod 12 and frame 7 respectively, limit the return movement of said rod and the bell crank lever 1 1-, while forward movement of the rod 12 is limited by the engagement of the conductor 11 with the contacts 10 and the engagement of the rods 18 with a cross member of the frame *5.

A loop 28 on the handle 1 is providedfor purposely keeping the lever 16 up and the circuit through the iron closed when desired such as when heating the iron before commencing ironing, the loop 23 being however disengaged from the lever 16, immediately the iron is heated to the required temperature, in order that the current supply will be automatically cut in and out on the gripping and releasing respectively of the handle 1.

What I do claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States of America is 1. In an electric iron, a switch operating member fitted to the handle thereof; separated terminals in said handle; a conductor for bridging the gap between said terminals, operated by said member on the handle being gripped to close a circuit through the iron, and operating to open said circuit on the handle being released; and springs adapted to be compressed during the first portion of each movement of the conductor and then to expand and complete the movement of said conductor, wherein the eon du tor comprises a forked bridging member mounted on the end of a slotted sliding rod the latter being moved in one direction from a lever pivoted to the handle through a bell crank lever engagingin the slot of slidrod, and connected by a link wit lrsaid lever, said. rod being moved in the reverse direction by a spring.

2. In an electric iron, a switch operating member fitted to the handle thereof; separatedterminals in said handle; a conductor for bridging the gap between said terminals, operated by said member on the handle being gripped to close a circuit through the iron, and o iiera ting to open said circuit on the handle being released; and springs adapted to be compressed during the first portion of each movement of the conductor andthen to expand and complete the movement of said conductor, wherein the forked bridging member is mounted on a rod slidab'le in a frame; said rod having pivotally connected thereto short rods which pass through opposite portions of said frame, and

springs on said short rods, between the sliding rod and the frame.

3. In an electric iron, a hollow handle of insulating material mounted thereon; plugs of insulating material closing the ends of said handle and a partition of insulating material in the latter; terminals on said partition and wires passing through a plug to said terminals; contacts on partition, connected with the terminals; a frame carried by said partition; a rod with a forked end and containing a slot slidable in said frame; a lever pivoted to said handle, and a bell crank lever pivoted to said frame, so that one leg enters the slot in the sliding rod; a link between the bell crank lever said and the lever pivoted to the frame 1; a tension spring between said bell crank lever and an extension from the frame; short rods pivoted to the sliding rod, passing through opposite portions of the frame; springs on the shortrods between the sliding rod and the frame; and stops on the frame and on the sliding rod for limiting movement of the latter and said sliding rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

KATHLEEN MONIMIA RAYMOND. Witnesses:

WILLIAM PINGHER, MARY PICKINGTON. 

